In a strong statement made during his campaign rally in Nkwabeng, Bono East Region, former President John Dramani Mahama has urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to resign due to the severe depreciation of the Ghanaian Cedi and his administration’s failure to address illegal mining (galamsey).
Mahama expressed his frustration over the current economic challenges, especially the steep decline of the Cedi, which has dropped from GH¢15 to one US dollar, causing a sharp rise in the cost of living for Ghanaians. Comparing the current situation to his administration, Mahama highlighted that inflation and exchange rates were significantly better under his leadership, making a case for more responsible economic management.
“Under the late President Atta Mills, the exchange rate was GH¢2 to a dollar. During my tenure, it rose to GH¢4 to a dollar. However, after almost eight years of the current administration, it has ballooned to GH¢16 to a dollar. President Akufo-Addo should have resigned when the Cedi first depreciated steeply,” Mahama asserted.
Mahama also criticized the President’s failure in the fight against galamsey, an issue for which Akufo-Addo had declared he would put his presidency on the line. The former president emphasized that galamsey has not only persisted but has worsened under the current government, with several individuals close to the president allegedly involved in illegal mining activities.
“President Akufo-Addo promised to end galamsey, but today, it is rampant, and those engaged in it are people within his own circles,” Mahama added.
He concluded by lamenting the heavy burden Ghanaians face, not only due to the Cedi’s depreciation but also because of the rising cost of essential goods, such as cement, which has soared as a result of economic mismanagement.
